Breakfast
by Frisco
Summary: On an average day in Atlantis, everyone has a date for breakfast.  Originally written for the Dating Challenge on the sga flashfic community.  Complete and total fluff.


"Is this seat taken?"

Ronon's heart leapt in his throat as the musical cadence of her voice reached his ears. Putting on his most indifferent expression, he waved a hand at a chair.

"Whatever."

He remembered to breathe and risked a look at her. He had never met a woman like Dr. Rika Vandiver. She was tall for an Earth woman, as smart as Rodney McKay, and, while not being traditionally beautiful, captivated him with her charm and feistiness. She kept him completely off-balance. Ronon had no idea why she would want to spend time with him since they had absolutely nothing in common.

"When do you go on your next mission, Specialist Dex?"

"Couple of weeks. McKay's leg needs more time to heal."

"Then perhaps you would have some time to assist me?"

"Assist you? With what?"

"I understand you to be the expert in hand-to-hand combat, and I wish to learn. I desire you as a sparring partner."

Ronon choked on his juice as she gazed at him with an impish grin. She had to know the effect she had on him. Her radio beeped, and she excused herself from the table.

He took a deep breath, making a decision. It had been ten years since Melena died, and he thought he was finally ready to move on. Ronon didn't know if anything would develop with Rika, but he was intrigued enough by her to find out. She finished her conversation and rejoined him as Teyla and Lorne walked by.

"If you're sure you want to try, I would be willing to teach you."

"Today, around 2:00?"

"Fine with me."

"It's a date then."

She winked at him and began eating her breakfast.

"Thank you for joining me for breakfast, Major. It was lovely to speak with you."

Teyla and Lorne exited the mess hall and turned left. She needed to finish some paperwork before her bantos lesson with Dr. Donnelly, and he had a weapons training session with the scientists the Daedalus had delivered last week.

"It's always a pleasure to talk to you, Ms. Emmagan."

Glancing about the empty hallway, Evan impulsively grabbed Teyla's arm, pulling her through the door of a storage closet he thought open. He felt her lips smile against his until she gently pushed him away.

"Evan, someone will catch us."

"I don't care, Teyla. I'm tired of hiding."

He placed his hands on either side of her face and drew her close, stopping just as their noses touched. She gazed at him seriously.

"Are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life. But I think I'll let you tell Colonel Sheppard."

She laughed at him and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Very well. I will tell John. But I must go now."

"Will I see you later?"

"If you look for me around dinner time, I shall be in the mess hall, waiting for you."

He grinned at her and palmed the door open, reaching for her hand. They stepped in the corridor, fingers laced together, and walked to the juncture. As Teyla turned to go, she saw John slip through the balcony doors. She would speak with him later.

She didn't turn as he stepped onto the balcony. She leaned against the railing watching the waves crash against the pier.

"You're late."

"I know. Sorry. Had a personnel issue to deal with."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the nape of her neck, fighting the urge to pull the clips out of her hair and run his hands through it.

"Why do you keep your hair pulled up like that?"

"So it doesn't drag through the bleeding wounds you usually have when you arrive in the infirmary, Colonel Catastrophe."

John rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in her scent. He was such a sucker for red-heads. He knew the first time he saw her that she was going to be trouble for him, the most glorious red hair he had ever seen that fell in waves down her back, when it wasn't pulled up, and blue eyes that he could drown in, not to mention a wicked sense of humor. She was fiercely protective of her patients and loved college football. If only she didn't have a fear of flying….

"Have you had breakfast yet, Doc?"

"Why, no, Colonel, I haven't. I had a date with a friend half an hour ago, but he didn't show."

She turned in his arms and pressed her lips lightly to his. His arms tightened around her as he deepened the kiss and promptly forgot about breakfast.

Caitlyn pulled away and leaned her forehead against his.

"As much as I would like to stay here all day with you, John, I have a bantos lesson with Teyla soon and rounds in the infirmary after that."

John sighed and, keeping an arm around her waist, headed for the doors. He really was in trouble. Somehow she had slipped past all his defenses after only a month of dating.

As they rounded the corner to the mess hall, Katie Brown exited, carrying a tray, and headed in the opposite direction. John put on his most chivalrous look and gestured toward the doors.

"After you, Cait."

Katie balanced the tray as she waved at the door controls to her quarters. She tiptoed in and carefully placed the food on her nightstand. Even in the dark she could see the lines of pain and exhaustion on his face. She wasn't even sure when he had come in. She had woken up this morning with his arms wrapped around her.

She knew Rodney would be angry when he finally awoke. He had slept long past his normal time, but he needed the rest so badly. The man really didn't know how to take care of himself. So she had quietly gotten up and made a breakfast tray for him.

Rodney had hyper-extended his ACL on his last mission and had walked for miles on it to get back to the stargate. He was supposed to stay off it for a couple of weeks according to Dr. Keller, but he kept hopping around, trying to run his lab.

He shifted a bit and moaned in pain. She reached up to smooth away the lines of discomfort on his brow. He stirred at the touch and opened his eyes. He blinked in bewilderment for a moment and then sat straight up, gasping at the throbbing in his leg.

"What time is it?"

"Seven."

"Seven! I am so late. I have to go."

He struggled in the sheets and managed to get more tangled. She giggled at the sight.

"Rodney, calm down. You're going to make your leg worse, and you aren't late yet. We had a breakfast date, remember?"

He ceased his losing battle and peered at her.

"Breakfast?"

"Yes, Rodney, breakfast."

She placed the tray in his lap and nibbled on a muffin while he inhaled a cup of coffee.

"Oh my God, that's good."

He reached for his fork and scooped up some eggs. Just before taking the bite, he looked at her, really looked at her, and smiled.

"Thanks, Katie. I mean it."

"You're welcome, Rodney."

"Maybe we can have lunch later?"

"It's a date, Dr. McKay."

The End.

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_Originally written for the Dating Challenge on sgaflashfic a couple of weeks ago. The challenge has ended, and stories can be posted elsewhere so here it is. I know, complete fluff. Now back to our regularly scheduled whump._


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